Stereotactic frame and introducer needles, Bristol, England, 1958

Stereotactic (or stereotaxic) apparatus pinpoints areas of the brain. This is for targeting electrodes, delivering radiation or surgery. Investigations involving the brain, whether animal or human, must be precise and careful. This is so they do not unnecessarily damage the surrounding tissue. The patient is put under general anaesthesia. This stainless steel frame is then secured to the skull using the four pointed screws. Once it is in place and the plain is exposed, long needles are inserted into the parts of the brain being treated or tested.
The apparatus was made and used at the Burden Neurological Institute in Bristol. The institute was founded by the Reverend Burden in 1939. It is an independently-funded research unit. It specialises in the human nervous system and human neurological disorders.